


The One I Didn't Know I Was Looking For

by waterboilers



Category: Klaus (2019), Klaus (movie)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Awkward Jesper Johanssen, Awkwardness, Blizzards & Snowstorms, Boys Kissing, First Kiss, First Meetings, Friends to Lovers, Jesper Johanssen Is a Mess, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Nervousness, One Shot, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Snow, Snow and Ice, The Author Doesn't Know How To Use Raitings, Young Klaus (Klaus 2019), young klaus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-25 02:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22008721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterboilers/pseuds/waterboilers
Summary: The (short) tale of what happens when Jesper the postman goes to meet the (young) Klaus the woodsman.
Relationships: Jesper Johanssen & Klaus, Jesper Johanssen/Klaus
Comments: 8
Kudos: 120





	The One I Didn't Know I Was Looking For

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> So, I re-watched Klaus for the second time and realised that there might be something something between Jesper and Klaus. Naturally, I came here to look for fics, found some and decided to write a really quick thing of my own of what could have been if Klaus was younger and not as troubled (even though I wanted to talk more about what I think his history could have been but didn't really go too much into that here). But me being me (a really slow writer who manages to make a five-minute break last two hours) took more time on this than anticipated and didn't manage to get any of the stuff done that I had planned to do. Oh well
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> PS. I suck at names and haven't edited this so hmu if you'd be willing to help me with that!

Defeated, Jesper lay on the table, feeling more tired than he has ever before; not even his time playing polo in his youth, forced by his father to help him socialise, caused him a pain this bone-achingly deep. Although, this time the pain was not caused by berserk balls flying around in the hands of entitled yet rowdy children or the aches of falling off of a horse, actually a pony to accommodate his small build, they still wore him down more than Jesper had ever felt before. The snow was _everywhere_ , inescapable, and with no heating (he hadn’t managed even a small fire before collapsing where he stood) Jesper was _cold_ , more than he had ever felt before. In addition to the chill he couldn’t escape, the actual physical labour that he had had to at least try, not to mention it was one of the first times he had ever had to do some on his own, had worn him down immensely and still, the shack of a post office felt no more _improved_ or _fixed_ than when he had first arrived, even though he had managed to get the door installed and working _and_ patched up all the more than numerous holes in the walls of the place he now had to call home.

Almost asleep in the oddly comfortable position of lying face down on a wooden, surprisingly sturdy table, feet propped up in bizarre angles at the chair behind him, he could hear the distant stomps of someone, muffled by the snow but undoubtedly walking in his direction. For a brief moment, Jesper considered the possibility of the comet being a customer, someone who wanted to mail a letter to a joyful receiver, but his hopes of that smothered as soon they developed; no one in this feuding town wanted anything to do with the new postman, even less they wanted to actually use his services.

“‘Ello my lad! How’s the business? Booming I s’pose,” came the too-loud voice Jesper feels annoyed that he even recognised so easily. He grunts in acknowledgement of Mogens, the cheery chip captain that had taken him into this morose island and done nothing but make Jesper his source of amusement since. He couldn’t be too mad of Mogens’ company though, he was the only person that _talked_ to Jesper now, without shouting or ignoring him completely, even if it is in a tone that one uses to assess children or people half their age. “I’m here to pick up all of the letters going inland, doing my job, same as you,” the middle-aged man continued. “I see you’ve already gone to all of the houses in town; you just must be drowning in the number of letters you have for me, right lad?”

Jesper turned his gaze to the same map Mogens was now looking at, the postal map of Smeerensburg, showing all the houses so the postman knows where to go. Well, you couldn’t see the houses _now_ , not when Jesper had crossed over all of them in red pen, marking all of the houses he had checked, multiple times mind you! Still, he only had one letter that wasn’t even going to get posted, the one he wrote to his father but decided against sending. After all, the man had sent him to the furthest place away from his as possible, Jesper doubted he would have done that if he truly wanted Jesper to keep in contact.

Still focusing his tired, brown eyes on the map, Jesper looked at the town’s constructions, taking no more than an eighth of the island at the most. He moved his eyes from the mess of red crosses to the rest of the island. Was that all it was to Smeerensburg? Lonely hills and snowy mountains? Woods and forests, slopes and ravines? And then he noticed it; on the top right of the map, a slight part had folded to cover the most northeast corner of the land. Wind from the open door left by Mogens, who was still standing there, possibly making jokes in Jespers’ expense (not that he had the energy to listen to the man’s blabber), was moving the paper just slightly. Despite his lack of life at the moment, Jesper grabs a broom, straining to push its handle up to the wall. Finally managing his task, Jesper perks up in the slightest when the map is revealed in its full, not so great, glory, revealing a few dark rectangles that he hadn’t noticed before.

“What’s there?” he wonders aloud, not truly expecting an answer considering he had forgotten that he wasn’t alone in his misery. The booming voice startles him into an upright position. “Oh, that? ‘S just the huts of the woodsman. Real funny fellow I tell ya, loves visitors that’s for sure.”

… 

He readies the horse that his father had so generously given him, first feeding Toggleabufnot, then strapping him to the carriage that had lived its better days long before Jesper first sat in it. Grabbing his hat, his blue postman hat that had to worn while working, and buttoning his matching coat to the last button he sits down and starts the journey. Feeling encouraged by the fact that there is still a chance, no matter how slight it is, that he can do something while stuck on the island, he tried to ignore all of the possible reasons the woodman lived on the furthest he could away from others. The man could be an axe murderer for Christ’s sake! Nah, he thinks, it would be hard to have victims if he lived in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps the ma is a happy loner, a hermit if you will, who has hundreds or thousands of distant relatives that he would love to send letters to, living in the wild because he loves nature and is too kind for his own good, not because he was a disturbed individual who couldn’t live in societies and wasn’t accepted in them. Yes, Jesper decides, just a personal man, not wanting to deal with the goings of town and the problems of others. 

Making good time on his rickety carriage and old horse, Jesper manages to, grudgingly, enjoy the scenery of snow-filled forests and the horizon beyond the sea. He had sworn to himself that he loathes cold, snow and everything associated with them but now, as he spots peaceful looking reindeer in the depths of the neverending spruces, he _briefly_ entertains the idea of himself living like the woodsman, away from it all, surrounded by breathtaking views. Shaking that thought from his mind, the young man checks his map before realising he is almost at his destination, steadily reaching the three rectangles that he was journeying towards. As promised, only a couple of moments later, Jesper can see the settlements behind the trees, Toggleabufnot taking him all the way through despite the strengthening wind and the whirling snow that is hindering even Jesper’s sharp vision. 

As he comes closer he can see (barely through the snow) what the three rectangles that he came for are. The one on the left is a stable of a sort, holding no animals but Jesper decides to ride his carriage there to shield his trusty, retirement-aged stallion, knowing that he deserves a break. The wind howls even louder as Jesper takes in the remaining two buildings; they look similar but he suspects that one is a residence (perhaps with a lit fireplace? He couldn’t see smoke but that could be because of the weather, growing stormier by the minute) and the other could be a shed of some sort, maybe a warehouse or a workshop?

Hurrying to the next building after he has Toggleabufnot settled, he knocks and quickly opens the door, not waiting for a response. He figures his knocking couldn’t have been heard in this kind of weather plus he felt envious of his horse, he too wanted to be somewhere at least relatively warm, agreeing to settle somewhere where the biting wind couldn’t find him. “H-Hello? Is anybody here?” Jesper calls out, his teeth clicking against one another as he shakes from the cold. Walking further into the room, he can just see where he’s going from the natural light streaming in from the windows. There are no candles lit, no fireplace in immediate sights and of course, Jesper didn’t bring any of the sorts with him. He reaches a wall of something, with further inquiry he realises that they are toys. Tens of toys are lining the shelves, but not all of them. He can see that on the other wall there is a shelf like this one but filled with firewood. So a woodshop of some sort, Jesper concludes. Just as he starts to turn towards the door to go investigate the maybe home of the woodsman, he catches a glimpse from something sparkly passing by one of the windows. An axe!

“Okay, okay, calm down, Jesper; stop freaking out,'' he mumbles to himself. Of course, the woodsman has an axe, he needs to cut the wood somehow, right? But the axe had looked even sharper than the wind blowing outside, plus, Jesper was well aware that he was in the woodsman property, inside one of his houses and without permission. Despite his dreams of the man being peaceful and kind, he didn’t truly believe that based on literally every single person that he had met on this island. Taking rapid, deep breaths (Jesper doesn’t think it likely but there still is a chance that he’s inside a murderer’s house, okay!), he hesitantly calls out: “Hello! I am in your property, _I know_ but! I knocked first, promise!” hoping that the man doesn’t maim him when he arrives. 

Now being nearer the front door, Jesper is knocked off his feet as it opens, the wind blowing straight into his face, making him lose his balance. Trying to get his bearings, Jesper splutters as his hat falls on his eyes, trying to stand up against the still pushing wind. As he manages to uncover his eyes, they land on feet that are standing right in front of his crouched form. He takes in the heavy boots, slowly lifting his gaze up, up, up, into the face of the staring _giant_ that is standing before him. Yelping in fright, it’s not every day that Jesper meets intimidating, stone-faced men that are enormous compared to his slight form, he crawls backwards, creating distance between him and the truly sturdy woodsman.

“H-Hi I’m the postman and was just trying to look for you, you see. I didn’t mean to trespass or anything but the thing is, it’s quite stormy outside and ─ I’m just looking for letters!”

Silence follows Jesper’s hurried rambling that he barely made through, stumbling over his words while trying to explain his position. After a few beats, the postman in question opens his eyes, (when did he exactly close them again?) and takes in the still-standing man in front of him, noting the short brown beard and the dark eyes he can see under the other’s hood. Seemingly without either of the men noticing, they continue to stare into each other’s eyes for quite a few beats, the moment only interrupted when Jesper looks back to the ground, realising that he must look a mess in front of this very well put together man. Also, the red in Jesper’s cheeks isn’t only the consequence of biting wind, the wall of a man, _perhaps_ , influencing Jesper’s increasing flustered state. 

A hand moves into his peripheral vision, Jesper lifting his eyes back to the dark embers that the other man possesses. “Come,” a gruff addresses him, “To shelter.”

… 

The inside of the, so far, friendly giant’s home is wonderful; it’s no surprise that it’s nicer than the old postal office Jesper had been living in is but the _hominess_ and the _comfort_ seemed to drip off of the warm colours and cosy furniture the apartment possessed. The house has two floors, the second one’s decoration a mystery to Jesper but it must hold the man’s bedchambers. The first floor is an open space, a nice kitchen off to the side and a sitting room taking up most of the other side of the level. 

Jesper is currently sitting on a huge, plushy couch, wrapped in the softest and by far the warmest quilt that he feels he has ever been surrounded by. The fireplace is opposite the couch, this one’s been lit for some time now, the whole space glowing from its light and sweltering from its fire. Jesper can hear the cracks of the burning wood, as well as the light clanking the bigger man is making from the kitchen area. Sneaking glances at him frequently enough for some to call it blatantly staring, Jesper watched as the muscles of his back flex and stretch under his thin shirt as he prepares something on the contained fire that he is setting a pan on top of. Jesper felt his cheeks being on fire as he observes him (from the fire, he tells himself, it’s just the heat). The man had removed his heavy furs and cloaks after he had sat Jesper on the couch and given him the blanket, apparently not feeling the effect of the weather lingering on his skin unlike Jesper, who still felt the cold in his bones despite being in a warm cocoon made of the blanket and his coat.

Shaking himself off of the trance he had fallen into, while not staring at the man, of course, Jesper suddenly starts talking. He has always been a rambler, even in his youth. He remembers the fed up looks people used to give him and the overly excited laughs and responses he received while they were trying to accommodate him to give a good impression to his father. His mother though, she had loved how talkative he had been, always genuinely interested in what he wanted to share, hanging on to his every word; she had made him feel seen. Now though, years and years later from those moments, he sometimes suspects it was only because he was their only child, the only chance she got at being a parent, and that was probably the only reason why she cared so much. Because the truth is, he doesn’t think that anyone else would, or could ever be as interested in him as she was. He supposes that’s why he ended up here, after losing her he didn’t really trust people, only wanted to spend time alone, not wanting to see the looks of others, wanting to act idly so his father wouldn’t notice how affected he was of her leaving them when he was only ten or so years old.

In the present though, he didn’t know if he was being heard in the slightest. He was babbling about his efforts to start a postal office in Smeerensburg, how he had ended up here in the first place. Jesper himself wasn’t even quite sure what he was talking about nevertheless if what he was saying made any sense. He was nervous, for more than one reason, the main one now standing still, facing him while he waits for the drink to warm up. Jesper loathed this habit of his but couldn’t help himself. It must have been a few minutes at least from the moment he opened his mouth and didn’t shut it when the other took the pot and poured its holding into two mugs, moving towards Jesper to hold him the other. Only when he did this di Jesper finally shut up, struggling to free his hand from the self-made cocoon and then sheepishly looking away from the man’s handsome ─ not handsome, he meant manly, yes, just an ordinary masculine face ─ and taking the mug into both hands, warming his fingers and breathing in the steaming contents. 

Bundling down, Jesper managed to entertain his nervousness by taking the tiniest sips of the humid tea, consequently succeeding in both being silent and observing the man’s features more. His broad chest and even broader shoulder. His hight, he must have been two heads taller than Jesper himself and three times as wide. Overall, he was very bulky and by that Jesper meant that he was truly a sturdy man, all muscles and seemingly no soft to him at all. And then he saw the _biceps_ ─ 

“Klaus,” the man interrupted Jesper’s wandering thoughts. “That is my name. What is yours?”

It was such a simple question but even then Jesper had to swallow twice around the lump that had formed when he had admired the man, _Klaus_ , and heard his deep, impressively _soothing_ voice address him. “Jesper,” he managed to answer, surprised at himself for not spilling that out as well during his earlier monologue, “Jesper the postman.”

… 

Jesper didn’t know what time it was, all sense of time he had before had mysteriously disappeared, the only thing he knew was that Klaus had added more wood to the fire once already. After the initial overall uncomfortableness of the whole situation that Jesper had felt, there was no sign of it now. Klaus had commented on something that Jesper had rambled about and that had started a conversation that hadn’t stopped since. Jesper was well aware that he was doing most of the talking, gesturing wildly with his hands while telling stories and almost jumping up from his curled up position while reciting the most exciting parts. They had conversed long enough now that Jesper knew that Klaus was a man of few words, only speaking when he had something to say or when he felt comfortable at the moment to chime in, but Jesper had managed to acquire a few snippets of the man to feel at ease. He found out that he had unstrapped Toggleabufnot from the wagon, getting him into an even warmer place, placing a quilt over him and giving him hay to feed on if hungry, all before he had even found Jesper in the shop and known who he was.

There was also an explanation for the toys, he was making the for his sister, taking them inland for her store once or twice a year, always making sure that his numerous nephews and nieces had plenty for their own use. He also knew that Klaus was listening to him, actually _hearing him_ when Jesper was talking, no matter how insignificant the tale he was telling. Klaus was nodding along and humming in all the right moments, sometimes even asking questions that showed that it wasn’t just for pretences, that made Jesper feel that Klaus was truly interested in his life, _in Jesper_. Jesper was so enthusiastic that he didn’t even notice the decreasing space between the two on the couch, both of them moving unconsciously approaching the other, physically and in the involvement of the mind. Jesper only came aware of their close proximities after he had been showing a minor scar he had on his ankle from his run-ins with the ground. Jesper lifts his head and stops, frozen by the sight of Klaus’ face only being under a foot away from his; the man must have leaned in even more to see what Jesper had presented, making them closer than neither had noticed.

Jesper is motionless, unintentionally holding his breath as he peers into Klaus’ eyes, the man in question seemingly in a similar situation. But of, his eyes. They’re dark brown, almost black but at the moments they don’t look it. Jesper can see the fire reflected from them, making them look alive and breathtakingly beautiful. Jesper knows now that Klaus is a kind man, of the sweetest he has ever met, and can see those characteristics mirrored in his eyes. He can’t stop himself from continuing to scan the woodsman’s face, moving to look even lower, moving to look at _Klaus’ lips_. They must be the most beautiful lips Jesper has ever seen on a man; plump and unbelievably inviting, hidden slightly behind his short but full dark beard and moustache, making Jesper imagine what feeling them slot between his would feel; would they feel chapped or would it be smooth? Still, not tearing his eyes away from Klaus’ forever appealing lips, he is pulled out of his daze by Klaus moving.

This shocks Jesper into sprinting out of his seat, jumping a few feet away for Klaus in a single leap. Not stopping his movements, Jesper starts jumping into his shoes while trying to apologize to Klaus, stumbling through his words, blushing to the tips of his ears while he tries to grab his coat, that he had shed quite some time ago now. Not remembering the blizzard storming outside, unable to even let him out the door at this point, Jesper dashes toward the entrance, all this while not looking at Klaus, not even for a glimpse, for he does not want to see the disgust that must be there or the hate that must have grown in the few moments that Jesper’s actions uncovered his true desires. He had thought he’d gained a friend! If only he had managed to ignore his wants and take what he got, a caring friend on this God-forsaken island, someone that he could have relied on and have them rely on him in turn. 

Fighting back tears, Jesper takes hold of the handle of the beautifully carven, sturdy door at the same time that he feels a tight grip on his wrist, squeezing but not hurting him, being almost gentle and achieving to be inseparable all at the same time. “Wait,” he hears, again stopped by only one word from his caring, company, “Turn to me.” Jesper takes a deep breath, tears falling down his face as he prepares himself for the blow that is surely coming his way. He closes his eyes so he wouldn’t have to face his now-former friend’s expression, turning around while the other’s hold is still unmovable in his hand. “Look at me,” Klaus commands, his voice unreadable to Jesper, his thoughts frantic as he shakes his head now. “ _Please_ ,” the other continues, only a whisper but still sounding loud as ever in Jesper’s ears, the emotion behind it getting him to snap his eyes open before he can even think twice about it, the tears still freely falling from his eyes, making his vision slightly blurry. 

Klaus removes his hand from Jesper’s, moving to take a hold of both of the postman’s cheeks with his rough palms, wiping the tears away that had gathered there, that are still falling, halting Jesper’s thoughts in the process, making him incredibly confused until one word clears it all for him. “ _Jesper_.” As soon as Klaus has finished saying his love’s face, both of the men are surging forward, Jesper dropping his coat and bag from his hands, wrapping them around Klaus as their lips meet with a bruising force. Klaus’ cumbersome body presses Jesper against the door, making the postman be willingly trapped against the person he had spent admiring from the first glance he had gotten. Their kiss grows softer, Jesper pressing his tongue against Klaus’ lips, a sound escaping from his throat in pleasure as Klaus opens up to him, letting Jesper’s tongue explore the inside of his mouth while the larger man bends down even further and grunts into the other’s mouth as he kisses back. Overwhelmed by the embrace the older man is giving him and the movements of their tongues against one another, Jesper holds Klaus tighter to him, his nails pressing into his arms, tongues making wet sounds as they glide hurriedly against each other, sounds of pleasure being released from them both as they take fast breaths, not willing to let each other go yet, not even an inch. 

Continuing their kiss, Jesper’s thoughts are a constant stream of _Klaus Klaus Klaus_ and _more_ and _finally_. He’s greedy, taking everything Klaus can give him, pulling at his hair, drawing sounds from the other man he can’t get enough of and exploring the mouth of his lover as fervently as possible, _needing_ all of him, giving all of himself in return. They separate achingly long moments later, Klaus pulling one last moan from Jesper’s mouth as he sets their foreheads gently together, panting into each other’s mouths as Klaus presses their bodies impossibly closer, holding Jesper as well as himself upright with the door as their support, knowing that without it even his muscular thighs couldn’t hold himself up, not with the man that he has become enamoured within only a handful of hours, not while feeling his every breath as his own, while sensing his shaking hands against his body, perceiving the effects he has on the younger man.

Jesper steals a short kiss from Klaus before he starts laughing, a true laugh, starting as giggles at the absurdity of the moment, of the happiness he feels while being held by his woodsman, by the gentle giant that _saw him, heard him_ , the one he can’t wait to call his own. Klaus joins him in his laughter, starting small like his beloved, eventually escalating into a full-blown laugh, reverberating from his stomach, making him feel more delighted and ecstatic that he had felt in a long time. 

There they are, a postman and a woodsman, laughing into each other’s mouths, stealing kisses and caressing each other; the most unlikely pair that makes perfect sense. 

When they calm down a little, Jesper pecks Klaus on the nose. “Come on,” he grins, “Take me upstairs.” Klaus takes the smaller man into his arms effortlessly, giddy with emotions, smiling the broadest he has in years and responds “It would be my pleasure, mu ráhkis.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! 
> 
> In the end, I wanted to write the "my love" part in Sami because I just love how that culture was integrated into the movie. According to my short Google search (I do not speak the language in question, unfortunately), it would have been mu ráhkesvuohta / mu ráhkisvuohta which I didn't end up using but kind of want to change it? Opinions?
> 
> Oh, and as it is the holiday season, I wish happy holidays to everyone! No matter what you do or donät celebrate I hope everyone has a relaxing time now at the end of the year (end of the decade!!) and can find time for themselves and the people they care about!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading!
> 
> I don't own the characters, this is a work of fanfiction meant for entertainment purposes only. All the mistakes are mine only.
> 
> PS. I'm posting this now at 2 a.m. and I haven't slept well in a week so good night from me!
> 
> \- waterboilers
> 
> EDIT: Thanks to MickeArts, I have now changed the previous "my love" part in the end to "mu ráhkis" which means the same thing but in Sami (I know there's a lot of different versions about the language and all and I am no expert). That's all, enjoy your day!


End file.
